The present invention relates to a novel slide and shell container for consumer goods. The container finds particular application as a container for elongate smoking articles, such as cigarettes.
It is known to package consumer goods in containers including an outer shell or sleeve and an inner slide or tray in which the consumer goods are housed and which is slidable within the outer shell. To remove consumer goods from such containers, a consumer slides the inner slide from an initial position within the outer shell to an open position in which the inner slide projects outwardly from the outer shell, in order to partially expose an open end or side of the inner slide.
For example, EP-A-1,847,478 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,400,874 disclose slide and shell containers wherein the slide includes a box and a lid wherein the lid is attached to the box at a hinge. The lid includes a flap on the outside thereof, which engages with a flap on the inner surface of the shell as the shell is moved into the open position of the container. The flap is pulled along with the shell, thereby pivoting the lid about the hinge to open the slide to allow access to the consumer goods.
In containers, typically at least a portion of both sides of the blank are exposed on the external surface of the lid when the container is assembled. Accordingly, if it is desired to provide a container having printing on all of the external surfaces, it has been necessary to use a blank for the slide that has been printed on both sides.
It would be desirable to provide an improved slide and shell container which has printing provided on all of the external surfaces but in which the panels are connected to each other in such a way that the slide of the container can be formed from a blank that has been printed on one side only.